The History of the Pokémon World · Chapter V
Most of this history is legend even inside the games: told by elders, carved on ruins, sung by minstrels or written in old books. Every line below is quoted from a game or retold closely, and each one says where it comes from. Legends are captioned as legends, a character's guess as speculation, and where the games disagree with each other, the page says so.
The games rarely give dates, so the chapters run roughly from the oldest stories to the most recent, each placed by its main story. A chapter without a stated date says so. Quotes from older games are shown in modern capitalisation.
VGalarLegend
The Darkest Day
Long ago · Its meteorite fell 20,000 years ago. The Darkest Day itself is never dated.
A meteorite falls on Galar 20,000 years ago. Long ago, the Darkest Day: a black storm ended by two young heroes whose sword and shield were really Pokémon. And Calyrex, a king of plentiful harvests.
A meteorite falls on Galar.
“It was inside a meteorite that fell 20,000 years ago. There seems to be a connection between this Pokémon and the Dynamax phenomenon.”
Pokémon Shield · Pokédex: Eternatus
“The core on its chest absorbs energy emanating from the lands of the Galar region...”
Pokémon Sword · Pokédex: Eternatus
A legend told in Motostoke.
“Long ago...a great black storm covered the Galar region. People called it ‘the Darkest Day.’ The land was assaulted by gigantic Pokémon...”
LegendPokémon Sword and Shield · The guide by the hero's statue, Budew Drop Inn, Motostoke
“...but they were defeated by a single young hero bearing a sword and shield.”
LegendPokémon Sword and Shield · The guide by the hero's statue, Budew Drop Inn, Motostoke
The ruins tell it differently.
“Two young heroes... The sword and shield were actually Pokémon...”
Pokémon Sword and Shield · The statues hidden behind the Stow-on-Side mural
“Those two managed to bring an end to the Darkest Day with the sword and shield Pokémon!”
Pokémon Sword and Shield · Hop
“These tapestries tell the story of the creation of a kingdom in Galar.”
Pokémon Sword and Shield · Sonia, on the Hammerlocke tapestries
In the Crown Tundra, another ancient ruler speaks: Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests.
“In days long past, I reigned over these lands as king. The humans offered me their loyalty and respect, as I was able to bring lush vegetation to the land and give them plentiful harvests year after year.”
Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra · Calyrex, Freezington
Sources
- Pokémon Shield · Pokédex: Eternatus
- Pokémon Sword · Pokédex: Eternatus
- Pokémon Sword and Shield · The guide by the hero's statue, Budew Drop Inn, Motostoke
- Pokémon Sword and Shield · The statues hidden behind the Stow-on-Side mural
- Pokémon Sword and Shield · Hop
- Pokémon Sword and Shield · Sonia, on the Hammerlocke tapestries
- Pokémon Sword and Shield · Chairman Rose, the Energy Plant
- Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra · Calyrex, Freezington
- Pokémon Sword · Pokédex: Calyrex
Eternatus
Zacian
Zamazenta
CalyrexThe rest of the history
- I · Sinnoh · In the beginningThe Original OneSinnoh's creation myth: a churning chaos, an Egg, and the Original One that made time, space and spirit, then slept.
- II · Sinnoh and Hoenn · Long agoThe Giant Who Moved ContinentsPokédex legends say Regigigas towed the continents with ropes and shaped Regirock, Regice and Registeel. In Hoenn, an ancient people sealed them away because they feared them.
- III · Hoenn · Thousands of years agoThe Primal ClashPrimal Groudon and Primal Kyogre clash until Rayquaza descends. A thousand years later a meteor makes Sootopolis, and Rayquaza Mega Evolves for the first time.
- IV · Kalos · 3,000 years agoThe Ultimate WeaponA war three thousand years ago. A king builds a machine to bring his Floette back, turns it into the ultimate weapon to end the war, and Floette leaves him.
- VI · Unova · UndatedTruth and IdealsOne dragon and the twin heroes found Unova. The brothers quarrel over truth and ideals, the dragon splits in two, and their sons' battle destroys Unova.
- VII · Kitakami · A long, long time agoThe Ogre's True StoryKitakami honours three heroes who fought an ogre. The mask maker's family kept the true story: the three stole the ogre's masks, and the ogre was Ogerpon.
- VIII · Johto · 1,500 to 150 years agoThe Burned TowerThe Ruins of Alph, about 1,500 years old. Two towers built 700 years ago. About 150 years ago lightning sets one ablaze for three days, and Ho-Oh revives three Pokémon that died in it.
- IX · Hisui · A long-gone eraAlmighty SinnohSinnoh when it was called Hisui. Two clans worship “almighty Sinnoh”, each meaning a different deity, until a space-time rift opens; afterwards the land is renamed Sinnoh.
- X · Alola · Long agoThe Blinding OneUltra Megalopolis's ancestors tried to control Necrozma's light, and it stole all the light it could find. Long ago it also battled the tapu in Alola.
- XI · Kanto · No year givenThe Mansion JournalsJournals in Cinnabar Island's Pokémon Mansion: a new Pokémon found deep in a jungle in Guyana, named Mew, and the newborn named Mewtwo.
- XII · Paldea · From about 2,000 years agoArea ZeroAn empire that sought the treasure of Area Zero, a nation unified 800 years ago, Heath's expedition 200 years ago, and a time machine that draws Pokémon from the past or the future.
A separate continuity
Anime & Movies
The anime and the films are a separate continuity. These stories are not part of the games' history above, and some contradict it. They are summaries of the films, not game text.
- Pokémon: The First MovieMewtwo is a clone, made by scientists from a fossilized eyelash of Mew.
- Lucario and the Mystery of MewSir Aaron seals Lucario inside his staff and gives his life to stop a war.
- Arceus and the Jewel of LifeArceus lends the Jewel of Life to Damos, and is betrayed.
- Hoopa and the Clash of AgesHoopa Unbound once ran rampant, and was sealed away in the Prison Bottle.